The Mirror House
by Kyri
Summary: Long's had it with life. On his wanderings to make it cease, he finds himself in a deserted fair. Guess who he finds there.
1. Wandorer

This is a collaboration fic bettween me and my fellow author, Nataku (Go read her stuff! Its gooooooood!) She wrote Long, and I controlled our fave phsyco, Shen.  
  
  
  
It was silent. Darkness seeped into what used to be the vibrant life of festivities and lights, engulfing it into nothing. It seemed that the remaining echoes of laughter were caught in the looming structures, padding of children's feet running from one booth to the next... Long sighed as he gazed at the empty carnival. It was eerie in it's mockery of joy...nothing more than a shell now that the life had been removed.  
  
"Home sweet fucking home..." Shenlong smirked around his marijuana joint as he sat on the fading carousel. If he listened hard, his sharp ears could almost pick up the echoes of the rides haunting melody. The wind ruffled his hair and made the smoke curl around his features, obscuring them. "Enough." he said quietly, getting up to retreat to the house of mirrors, the one totally sheltered place in the park. His narrowed eyes picked up the solitary shadow of the only other occupant of the fair grounds. "Look's like he's off on an angst fest again. Lets go give the poor bugger some help ne?" with that, he walked into the shadows  
  
The Chinese man's head glanced up, moonlight glinting off of the silver glasses perched on his nose. He sniffed the air, scenting the bitter sweet scent of smoke...and something else...something that was wild, musky, and decisively masculine...Shenlong. The wind blew past; caressing his skin and drawing ephemeral fingers through his locks, making him shiver. The creaking of boards being trod with invisible feet of air make shivers crawl up his spine. Narrowing his fathomless brown eyes, Long steeled the set of his jaw and stalked silently toward the funhouse, glaring at the brilliant colours that were painted on it, now muted to tones of grey by the moonlight.  
  
Shen stayed to the shadows, consciously betraying with haunting signs that he might or might not be there, weather he was real, or just a figment of the imagination. With a grin that jester would sell his macabre soul for, the clone led his counter part towards the one place he felt that Long would not go on his own. To the mirrors, to see his reflection and chance it to be something not familiar, something not his own.  
  
The martial artist hesitated, but the lingering presence in his mind yearned for him to follow. In truth...he didn't want to go in. He didn't want to step into the room where everywhere he turned, he would be met with yet another reflection of himself, another accusing facet to the man he was.  
  
The blood eyed man paused by the controls to the mirror house, and after a moment of thought, flipped on the music, its ancient machinery making it sound hollow and warped, much like his own soul. "Come on...lets play Loooooonnnnggg" he whined to himself. In truth, he loved these mind games that he could play with the other man, it made him feel in control of at least something. At the entrance, he dropped the remains of the joint. Yet another sign that he existed outside of the imagination, that he wasn't just another ghost. Humming merrily, he stalked inside, confident that Long would follow.  
  
Long paused, feeling that shiver move over his flesh. Turning, he glanced at the still smouldering roll, the scent of marijuana assaulting his nose. The music disoriented him, unnerving him in the pure lack of reality in the entire place. The soft, almost silent padding of footsteps before him made him look up again. "Perhaps...purgatory has at last arrived..." With curious dignity, he followed.  
  
Shen knew the mirror house. After all, it had been his 'haunt' for 6 months. He knew which twists and turns led where, and what mirrors held what secret. And through the central one, he observed the Chinese man's progress. "Maybe its time I stepped up the ante a little." he smirked to himself, and stood in front of a mirror, allowing his reflection to be caught by those brown eyes, but only for a moment. Just enough to make his presence suspected. A Flash if you will.  
  
"Huh?" from the corner of his eye, the martial artist caught a flash of a reflection. He moved to glance at it, but was then met with 5 more of himself, each one glancing with nervous intensity. He backed away from his reflections and turned again, met with yet more. Some of the images were normal, and others were grotesquely warped. Long swallowed hard as he started to feel a constriction in his chest, even when he looked down he was assaulted with shattered fragments of himself.  
  
Shen's red vampire like eyes flashed with amusement. "I haven't had this much fun in a while...." he thought. He again let himself be seen, arms crossed with a sadistic grin. "Welcome to my parlour." he said out loud, knowing his rough voice would echo from every which direction.  
  
The Chinese man's head snapped up and he glared viciously at the red-eyed clone in the mirror. The constriction lowered to his belly where it started to burn and seethe, making him feel almost nauseated. "...You're parlour, or your playhouse…?"  
  
Shen laughed, and shifted, so that his reflection went to different mirror, off to Long's side. "Who's to say? It's all the same to me. Afterall, you can't tell reality from asbintine anyway.... So what difference does it make?" he asked with chuckle.  
  
"Reality..." Long's voice was soft and cold. "..Who's to say what reality is? It's nothing but what we perceive." he glanced at the reflection, then forced himself to think logically. It was just a reflection...nothing more than refracted light on a smooth; glass surface...wasn't it?  
  
Shen spun around, leaving that mirror, only to be reflected in another one. "Not you or I should say. What's the matter, still gripping about the unfairness of life? Or is it that you've just realised that your soul is just as grubby as miiiiiiiiiiiiiine!" he sang mockingly, constantly moving, making it hard to tell his reflection from Long's own.  
  
"Life is never fair...it is the cruellest of tyrants, the most gracious of teachers, Shenlong." his eyes hardened. "I have never complained about life, I have merely wished for it to cease to exist." he took a step forward, stopping when it was a dead end, then he stepped back, hitting another mirror.  
  
"Tsk tsk..." Shen said, waving his finger with a pout. "You know, you really should adjust that attitude of yours. Maybe a lobotomy would help. But hey...if you want hell.... I can give you that." He disappeared back into the control room, turning on the strobe lights, making the world further and further distorted. Again he reappeared to the other man, in two opposite mirrors. "Is that better? I strive to make all my guests comfortable."  
  
The brown-eyed man swayed on his feet slightly, getting confused by the excessive distractions. "What is it you want from me?" he grated out, a hand going to his head.  
  
Shen shook his head. "Nothing... But I know you want something from me. I may be a wee bit crazy, but I'm not blind." he said watching Long closely.  
  
Long closed his eyes, not wanting to see all of the fractured images looming around him. He didn't want to see them...didn't want to acknowledge them. "...I...want something from you?" he let out a bitter laugh, stepping forward, He managed to find passage to his left, a hand touching the walls to help him navigate. As long as his eyes very closed...he could treat it all like a maze  
  
Shen kept vigil on him still. "Of course. You didn't have to follow me in to my hall of distortion. No, you want something from me. But what pray tell." he said, turning down the music a little. Sure, he wanted Long disoriented, but he needed him operational to play properly  
  
"Closure." he said very simply. Eloquence seeped through the terse answer. Glasses flashed as the man continued making his way through the labyrinth of glass and lights  
  
"Closure from what? Do all those ghosts still cry out from your dreams, or are you just following a faded image of redemption." Shen said, turning the mirrors a little to change the rules of the passages  
  
"Their blood has never left my hands." Long blinked, confused, as the rules seemed to have changed again. "Perhaps I need to cleanse myself...perhaps I need you to do so."  
  
Shen laughed, it almost sounded sane..."Why me Long? Am I not just a reflection of you, just as these mirrors are? You seem to hate them so." He changed the mirrors again, subconsciously leading the other man to him, one turn and twist at a time  
  
"That's exactly why! You are the personification of every sin I've ever committed. You are the blood that stains my flesh and refuses to leave no matter how many times I scrape myself raw." Long cried. He knew he was walking into the tiger trap, but he was beyond care now. His brown eyes glanced at the reflections, hating them...hating himself.  
  
Shen pouted. "Awww...you make it sound like it's a bad thing. Come on, loosen up and get that self-righteous stick outta your ass and have more fun. God knows I aaaaaam!" He said, with a sing song voice. "But it's nice to know I'm needed for something."  
  
"God also knows you take drugs and are not sober half the time..." the martial artist mumbled, continuing on the winding trek, wondering when the cage would slam shut around him  
  
"Hey! I Heard thaaaat! Damn you can be so meaaan....Moom!!! Long's maken fun of me again! Make him stooppp!" He said, taking out a mickey of brandy out of his shirt pocket. "Which turn am I around Long? Exactly how much distance really separates us? We are the same coin long. Weather you like it or not."  
  
The Chinese man turned fathomless eyes on the fork in front of him. As much as he hated to agree, Shenlong was right. They were identical in every fashion...perhaps...the clone even had the piece of his soul he wanted to tear out. "Even the coin still has two sides."  
  
Shen nodded as he took a swig. "True...true. But who's the bird and who's the loon, that's what I wanna know. Right or Left Long. It's your choice, but I warn you. Both lead straight to hell with me playing the gracious devil. Wanna come to my living room or will you run back to your safe, little sad grey world."  
  
Quite suddenly Long felt old. He felt an ache deep in his bones that spread throughout his body. "I don't care about redemption anymore...can't you see that? All I want is closure."  
  
Shen laughed. "Alright then... Take the left road, it's a faster one. This is why I like playing with you. You are sooooo damn easy to direct." with that, he moved the mirrors once again, leaving the space to where he was open.... In reality and in soul.  
  
The Kempo Master gazed into the yawning mouth of the left road, glimmering mirrors lining the path to his own personal hell. He lifted his head high, moonlight gleaming off his glasses as he strode forward with a pride that would have shamed an emperor.  
  
If he could have sweatdroped, a major one would have appeared right beside Shenlongs head. This was the one thing that irked him about Long. The sheer pretentious, unconscious, arrogance the man possessed. Then his face lit up with a bright smile. "Heyyy long time no torment ne? Wanna drink? I got beer, whisky, vodka, brandy, wine...and jasmine tea."  
  
The glasses masked Long's gaze as he glanced at the man who was playing all of those games on him. It was like another mirror... "Jasmine tea if you would..."  
  
Shen smiled. "Man, how did I ever know that's what you would say. " he said as he took out a small propane stove and set the kettle boiling. "So. Now you've found me. What kinda closure do you want? Death, silence or just guidance. Step riiiight up and for a dollar take your pick." he said, turning to the other man, his bright eyes glowing with they're own internal light, his shadow warping and changing with every movement, but the man himself never seemed to follow those changes.  
  
The Kempo Master just stared at him for a minute, then he moved forward in a bonelessly graceful movement and had his hands around the other's neck. There was no malice in the movement and his hand didn't apply any pressure...his brown eyes gazed into crimson, searching.  
  
Shen cocked his head to the side at him. "So?" he asked evenly. "Whatcha gonna do?" The red eyes never blinked as they stared passively back at the brown ones that they negatively mirrored, showing within they're oddly shaped depths a swirling miasma of patterns, like if you had just poured oil onto water.  
  
Long's pale and wan face was impassive, but his eyes, with in the unfathomable depths seethed and raged a dark despair, confusion, and anguish. "I don't know."  
  
Shen nodded. "Well, that's as good as answer as any I suppose." He started slightly at the sudden whistling of the kettle. "Mind if I get that?" he asked with an impish grin.  
  
The martial artist's fingers twitches slightly, as if hungering to sink into the vulnerable flesh of Shenlong's throat, but he pulled his hands back. "Go right ahead"  
  
Shen smirked and lifted the kettle off the stove, ignoring the over boil that ran over his hands. He poured the water into a cracked and worn teakettle and shoved in a few of the tea bags. He then took out one of his marijuana joints and lit one up, offering Long a hit.  
  
The martial artist predictably declined. The bittersweet scent tickled his nose, making him feel a little light-headed just from the second hand smoke he was inhaling. Reaching into his robe, he pulled out two teacups and gracefully set them on a makeshift table. His movements were mechanical, precise and elegant with long practice. Long poured the tea, pausing to watch the slightly discoloured water steam in the worn porcelain cup*  
  
Shen settled back as he took one of the cups. "Well, I can't guarantee the quality of this, but its better then nothing, ne? soooo, a quarter for your thoughts?" he asked, as he sat on an empty crate. Inwardly he was cursing himself, wondering why the hell he wasn't making the other man as irate as possible, after all, that's all he did, wasn't it?  
  
Long just stared at his tea for another moment, watching the steam rise. "...Keep your hard earned money, my thoughts aren't worth anything." Brown eyes closed; lashes brushing his cheek as he lifted the cup to his lips, taking a slow, delicate sip. He held the liquid in his mouth for a second, then let it slide down his throat, soothingly.  
  
Shen snickered. "Hard earned indeed. Oh well, so, how's the weather out in the real world, still as horrid as ever?" the last bit was said in a faked English accent, just for the pure hell of it. "Why dontcha tell me anyway. Who knows maybe I can twist them to make it even more freakish"  
  
Long's eyes remained closed, feeling the hot tea settle into his stomach in a comforting fashion. "The air is damp and humid with pressing rains, the sky darkened by clouds with naught even a faint line of silver." he took another sip, just as delicately as the first. The slightly bitter flavour left a pleasant sweetness in his mouth afterward.  
  
Shen sighed and shook his head. "You know, that almost makes me glad that I only ever come out at night now. So, if you wanted closure, why come to me? There's a lotta people that would do it for ya cheaper then I would. Or am I just the devil on your shoulder, clouting out the angel?" The marijuana started to kick in with this last phrase. The lanky man leaned back against the wall with a bit of a giggle.  
  
Long glanced briefly at the red-eyed clone as the man giggled. "...You think I haven't tried? I've been drifting for so long...so long trying to find it. You're the last chance I have." he took another sip and set down the cup. The martial artist got up and stood in front of is clone. "Give it to me...bring me the peace I crave..." he voice was soft and almost pleading.  
  
Shen looked up at him. "Hey now, sit, relax, what do you want me to do, kill ya?" He shook his head, "but your sooo fun to plaaaaaaay with..." he whined, but he stood up matching Long's gaze with an intense on of his own.  
  
Long's gaze was dark and jaded. "I don't care what method you use, Shenlong, just do It." the line of his shoulders spoke of a bone weary exhaustion inside of him. "I grow tired of this."  
  
Shen back peddled slightly. "Whoa, you actually mean it..." he said quietly, as if he couldn't believe it. Sure, he wanted to make Long's life a living hell, but he didn't actually want to kill the man...did he? A thought came to his head. "What, Jane not giving you enough in bed to make it worth it huh."  
  
The Kempo Master's fathomless gaze never wavered. "I've been celibate for quite some time now." he stepped forward, some deep part inside of him twisting with wicked joy at making the other man step back. He casually tipped his head slightly back, his throat bared in a smooth arch. "Go ahead, I won't stop you."  
  
Shen shook his head. "Naw, then it's just like practising on a plastic dummy. No fun you see. However...." he said with deep sigh. "I suppose since we've both wanted your angsty ass gone anyway, I suppose its no trouble. Maybe I'll wave my fee this time. Whatdda ya say, hmm" he said, flipping out a pocketknife and running it lightly along Long's white smooth throat.  
  
"You talk to much." the Chinese Man's face was impassive, skin tingling slightly at the passage of the sharp, cold steel. There was a time when he would have slit his own throat than to be caught in such a vulnerable, submissive position...however he was just to weary to care anymore.  
  
Shen snicked a bit as he saw the slight movement. "Heh, kills ya just to ask me for this doesn't it. One question...." he said softly as he pressed harder, drawing a bit of blood. "How come you couldn't do this your self? I mean, you've got a lot of practice and all." Again, the Jester grin appeared, making the flickering lights illuminate his features like a skull.  
  
He swallowed as he could feel his skin give way to metal, warm blood trickling down over his flesh to contrast the icy kiss of the blade. "To be quite frank, I can't. Had I committed suicide, I would only die and spend the rest of eternity in unease." Long gazed at the macabre image his clone presented. "But wouldn't you just love this? For me to die at your claws..."  
  
"Oh but I do, very much, and I wish this moment of gloating triumph could last forever." Shen pressed harder, watching the liquid that matched the colour of his eyes stain the flawless skin. "Aren't ya scared? I could leave you like this you know. Bleeding, but alive, again to find me to take away your torment yet again, it could be a game.... Hide and seek. " His grin widened and his eyes narrowed, watching the kempo user closely  
  
"It would only be a matter of time before I accepted my own demise." he spoke smoothly, not even flinching now as the hungry blade bit deeper into his flesh. "You leave me alive after this, and you won't have anything else to play with."  
  
"But you see Long, that's the true if I don't leave." He took the blade away from the bleeding wound and held it up to the light. "Isn't it pretty? Do you see how the blood captures the lights, making it all the more jewelled and precious..." he watched the crimson liquid drip off the silver line and on to his hands, "Isn't it pretty..." he breathed, half in wonder, and half in sadness. Shen turned back to his victim, and traced Long's proud jaw line with the tip of the pocket knife.  
  
Despite his positioning, the Kempo Master kept the same aura of majesty around him. He reached up and unclipped his glasses, tucking them into his robe. "This question has been bothering me...despite making my life miserable, what do you want from me?"  
  
Shen shook his head. "You already know the answer Long, it isn't very hard. I'm sure even someone of your intelligence would be able to figure it out." He said, allowing the tip to travel over the other man's sensitive features, tracing the high cheekbones and the slanted eyes.  
  
"Do I?" his skin felt the ghostly trail of that blade, blood smearing onto his face almost artistically. He felt a slight wetness by his eyes, noticing the blood was traced over his features like a morbid mask for his own death. He closed his eyes, feeling the spidery sensation move over his skin like some mockery of a lover's touch.  
  
"Of course you do. You said it when you asked. I'm a simple bundle of genes Long; there isn't much too me. I'm not ooo aaah so deep like you. " He complained mockingly. Shen moved the blade down, tracing every hollow and bone structure. "You know, this is eerily like my morning shave." he muttered amusedly  
  
"I'm glad to see you find amusement in this." Long murmured softly, lips barely moving as the blade passed by. He wondered briefly how long his reflection was going to take in this ritual, then figured he didn't really care.  
  
Shen suddenly stopped, and backed away, flipping the knife closed. surpassing himself with his own actions. "Maybe...maybe not...."  
  
A dark set of eyes was fixed onto the clone. "Don't tell me you loose your backbone in this of all times, Shenlong." He didn't move, head still tipped slightly back. The Kempo Master could feel blood trickling in a small, but steady stream down his neck, spreading over his skin in thin rivets.  
  
Shen shook his head. "I haven't. I just don't want to do this Long." he turned on the other man, anger blazing bright behind his sadistic features. "In all your god damned arrogance, you've only thought about yourself. Oh woe is me, the world is so mean to me....' and all that shit. Well I'm tired of it. Didn't you ever think how I would feel about this? Well, Almighty Long, take this knife and do it your self!" he yelled, beaning the brown-eyed man in the head with the closed pocketknife. He then drifted over back to his teacup and drained it dry.  
  
The Kempo Master's eyes narrowed, pupils slitting viciously. When he spoke, his voice was low and trembled slightly with fury. "What would you care? Your entire life all you've cared about was who to kill, who to torment, what booze what drug what way to escape from reality you can take. I figured you; you of every damned living soul on this planet would be pleased to kill me.  
  
Shen sneered at him. "So fucking what. I dare you to do something about it. Like you can. " He snorted, taking a drink out of the brandy bottle. "You make it sound like I'm all bad...." he mused.  
  
Suddenly it seemed the martial artist's face froze over. A spidery film of loathing hazing his unfathomable eyes. "Then I'll make you kill me." with that he lunged.  
  
Shen laughed like a delighted child and dodged. "That's the spirit! Make it fun!" he cried jubilantly as he danced around the irate man. "Cant caaaatch meeeee!!"  
  
Long moved with the desperation of a tiger that was backed against a wall. No where to run, no where to hide, nothing left to do but plunge into death's jaws. He pounced, slamming the other man down onto the floor, and fisting his hands in the front of his shirt*  
  
Shen smiled up at him. "Jeez, now I know how a catnip mouse feels." he said, with a laugh. "Ooooooh, I do believe you're actually enjoying this, ne? I know I am" He reached up and patted Long on the head. 


	2. Plaything

The Kempo Master snapped at the offending hand, lifting him slightly, then slamming him back down. He moved, pinning the man's body with his own, fist clenching as he took a deep breath, trying to school his anger down.  
  
Shen winced slightly at the slam, but otherwise didn't show that it effected him at all. "Awwwww.... Touched a nerve did I? Come on Long, quit gripping and let it out, other wise what soul you have left won't be able to rest peacefully no matter what I do to it." he said in a slightly breathless singsong voice.  
  
Long's next breath sounded almost like a choked sob. "What do you want from me.?! Do you loathe me so much that you won't even grant me this one request?" The brown-eyed man was leaning over his clone, face scant inches apart. "Why...?"  
  
Shen shook his head. "All I want is a playmate, that's all. I only loathe you because that's all I know how to do. You know, my reputation is slightly exaggerated, oh well..." he giggled, lifting a hand and taking a drag of the joint he had some how retained hold of. "Besides...I'm only a reflection of you. So if you can't do it, neither can i."  
  
Long groaned in agony, slumping like a marionette with his strings cut. He breathed in the scent of smoke, cologne, alcohol, and the more earthy smell of flesh, barely registering them as he just lied there.  
  
Shen pushed himself up, and wrapped his arms around the despairing man, pulling him up as well into a sitting position. "Come on Long. It's not the end of the world." he said quietly, not at all sure of what or why he was even saying anything.  
  
"Stop playing with me...I'm tired of being used for your amusement." Long's worn voice was so soft it was barely audible. His body offered no resistance, moving how it was placed like an obedient puppet.  
  
"Believe me Long. If right now this were just for my amusement, you would be strung up by now. So quit pushing your god damn luck...." Shen growled annoyedly  
  
The Chinese man sighed, eyes closed against the world. He didn't know what he was going to do anymore... Surprised, he found a strange, soothing comfort in the other's body heat, warming him.  
  
Shen sighed and leaned his chin gently on top of Long's hair, staring off into the distance, wondering why the hell he couldn't just up and kill his enemy, his arch rival...A quivering sigh escaped his lips unnoticed. His heart slowly slowed to a more normal beat from its adrenaline rush. "I'm sorry I couldn't help ya out Long..." he said quietly.  
  
"No more than I..." the martial artist felt the pressure from the other's chin and he could hear the slowing of his heartbeat. There was a tight constricting in his chest as he was stranded with despairing thoughts of his own peace of mind.  
  
"So, whatcha gonna do now?" The clone asked of his original. His voice loosing some of the drug and alcohol induced insanity and becoming a voice much like Long's own. Different, yet the same, almost.  
  
"Wait for closure to come to me." he shivered at the too familiar timbres of that voice. It twisted inside of him like an echo. He opened his eyes, gazing at the folds of cloth in his field of vision and the strange shadows the lights cast.  
  
Shen wasn't really listening to Long. "You can't wait forever..." he said to himself, but loud enough for the other man to hear. He sighed and leaned, back, closing his eyes. This was not going how he planned it, not at all. Long should have been laying at his feet in a pool of his own dark blood while Shen danced around to his heavy metal...not like this...  
  
"Not like this..."  
  
"...what will you do when I die?" Long asked, fingers playing idly with the other man's jacket. His voice was soft, as if it couldn't rise to break the serenity confusion spread.  
  
"You know, I honestly don't know. Id like to think that I would continue living like I do know, cause I rather like this life style...but something...ah, I don't know. Don't care...." The last bit was said as if Shen was convincing himself of the truth of the statement. "Guess id have to find another boy to torment wouldn't I?"  
  
Long's eyes closed again. He had no family, he had no relationships. Nobody to mourn his passage when it arrived. In a sense, he was glad.  
  
Shen was silent for a moment. "Just out of curiosity.... Why do you ask?" he said, unconsciously imitating Vincinni from the princess bride  
  
"No particular reason." the Kempo Master felt oddly peaceful. There would be nobody to cry for him and he would be alone. He briefly wondered if indeed it was time.  
  
Shen was thourghly confused. Part of him wanted to just wrap his hands around Long's neck and strangle every last breath out of him...but...he didn't want to...it was like there were two sides of him, warring for dominance. "I kinda think I'd miss ya..." he said quietly, not wanting to say it at all, but it just slipped out  
  
The Chinese man's eyes opened. "...What did you just say?" he released the handful of jacket he had gripped in his fist.  
  
Shen decided to play it off nonchalantly. "What, that I'd miss you?" he asked. "No need to get all in a huff about it." he said with a snort, he kept his eyes closed to the other man.  
  
Long listened to his heart beat, conflict arousing inside of him. It has been so long since he heard something like that...so very long...  
  
Shen wondered at the silence. He had expected Long to fly off the handle from that last comment...sure, he ment it. For all reasons against, he would miss the other man, if just from sheer length of time knowing him. "Quarter for your thoughts?"  
  
"Keep your hard earned cash." The warmth infected him, seeping through his skin and into his flesh, weaving its way down to his bones. The man could hardly remember when he didn't feel that nagging cold  
  
Shen laughed. "What makes you think I earned it Long? Honestly, you think too highly of me." He said, pulling his arms a bit around the slight man against him. "Must be a character flaw...."  
  
Brown eyes widened a little as he felt himself being pulled closer. Long's muscles tensed, then loosened again. "...Fine, hard stolen."  
  
"Hey...ill have you know I found it on the ground. I don't steal.... I may manipulate, charm and borrow, but I don't steal.... Of course, I don't really work for it either." Shen chuckled.  
  
"Charm? What, pray tell, do you know about charm?" The martial artist was vaguely surprised yet again at how soothed he felt when he should have been terrified.  
  
Shen opened his eyes and poked Long. "Ill have you know that I can charm the pants off, and the wallet out from from any person living in this forsaken city. Id like to see you do that."  
  
The former assassin shifted, looking annoyed at him. "It's called diplomatic grace. I don't exactly feel your charm if you don't mind my saying so." he blinked at the continuously flashing lights, looking for the first time since he got into the centre of the labyrinth at one of the mirrors. He stared, finding the reflection confusing. It was almost...tender.  
  
"Well Baka, that's because I'm not using it. It's just a facade you know." Shen shot back at his counter part and closed his eyes again. The warring sensation kept up, to him, this whole conversation was getting incredibly surreal.  
  
Long felt discerned. The only physical difference between them was their eyes and with Shenlong's eyes closed...it seemed too much like he was being held by another reflection. "...Open your eyes."  
  
"No." Shen said, like a child being asked to give up his ice cream. "Why should I?"  
  
"Please, open your eyes." he never once looked away from the mirror.  
  
Shen sighed, and before he could stop himself, opened his crimson blood eyes and gazed at the same mirror that Long was looking at.  
  
The brown-eyed man murmured his thanks, feeling a little better now there was a distinction. He wondered why he remained in the other's arms, then was reminded of how soothing it felt.  
  
Shen blinked. "Hrm... Just for entertainment factor I should buy violet contact lenses..." he grinned, trying to summon up his earlier mood, but it just refused to come. "Umm....Long, how come you're staying? Would a thought you'd a run out screaming by now." he said  
  
"How come you're still holding me?" the Kempo Master countered.  
  
Shen then did something that he could never remember doing before in his whole life. He blushed, a red tinge almost as dark as his eyes spread across his cheeks. "gah.... You're the one who fell on me!" he retorted lamely  
  
Long was amused by the red he could see crossing the other's face. It was strange...he expected himself to be the one blushing if one of them had to. "And you didn't push me off, did you?  
  
Shen mumbled something that sounded like, 'your heavy' or something to that effect. Shen glared at Long. "What's so god damned amusing?!" he demanded angrily  
  
"Look in the mirror, Shenlong." the brown eyed man smiled one of those rare smiles. The first one he showed in a long, long time  
  
Shen looked up at the mirror and absently ran his long tapered fingers along his own red cheek. "Gah...." he muttered, striving to beat it down.  
  
Long was confused. Naught even 10 minutes ago he was empty, ready to die at knifepoint. The side of his neck still throbbed slightly from where the blade had sliced through flesh. But now...he was draped over his worst enemy, smiling at his blushing.... Odd indeed.  
  
Shen couldn't help but laugh helplessly. This was certainly a turn of the tables. This didn't feel right...it didn't feel like anything he had encountered before, but from its sheer unfamiliarity it felt weirdly contridictingly fitting... and right he supposed, the laughter died down, confused at where it was supposed to go. This was all too weird.  
  
The martial artist's eyes closed briefly at the laugh. It reminded him of when he used to laugh, before his guilt and heartache silenced it. It wasn't that different...than this mirror of it. The confusion roiled, he could feel it with painful acuteness. In a way...it was worse than the crystal clarity of contemplatinghis own demise  
  
Shen broke the quiet that unnerved him so. "I used to envy you...allot believe it or not...."  
  
"You...envied me..." he thought about it. "Was it because I was the one you were made from? That perhaps you were just me?"  
  
Shen sighed, eyes falling closed. "Maybe...it just didn't seem fair. Maybe because it was that I couldn't be you. You had a life that you lived; I just had what I thought was my life lived for me. You had friends who were willing to help you to the end.... I just had followers.... It just seemed...like I was trapped on the dark side of the mirror and no one was there...." he trailed off and shook his head. "I still envy you I guess..."  
  
"Friends..." Long laughed bitterly. "And where are they now? I ask you, Shenlong, who's on the dark side of the mirror now?"  
  
"you found a way to end it...I still haven't." the clone countered back. "You, could always escape...script immunity was on your side."  
  
"...script...immunity...?" the man blinked uncertainly. "Pardon?"  
  
"you know...the good guys always win...its what's told in story's and Tv shows. I guess it happens in real life too..." Shen trailed off, shifting a bit to let his circulation equalize again.  
  
After a pause, Long moved up to whisper into Shen's ear, as if it were a great secret. "Life...has told me other wise"  
  
Shen blinked as the breath moved past his skin, his eyes opening again. "Oh really now... A least you're your own person. I'm stuck being you." he said disgruntidly. He wasn't in control of the situation anymore; it made him very nervous.  
  
The Kempo artist closed his eyes, trying to squash the wave of pain he was starting to feel. "...I was just like you"  
  
Shen looked down at the other man curiously. "What...do you mean?" he asked, hesitantly, not sure weather he really wanted to hear the answer that he was sure that Long was going to give.  
  
Long's hand clenched again in his jacket, still speaking in his ear. "I loved to kill. I thrived on the taste of blood and screams in my ears. I loved it."  
  
"I don't love it per say...I just find it amusing." This was a side of Long that Shen didn't think he wanted to see. This was not his normal victim, as he knew it. But somehow.... He couldn't end the contact, didn't want to.  
  
The brown-eyed man's voice was shaky, but somehow stronger. "I didn't kill because I was told to, Shen...I killed because I lusted after blood." the urge to bit into the soft, fleshy lobe of his clone's ear and draw blood was near irresistible.  
  
"Fun...." Shen snorted, "You know, maybe blood lust is in the genes, cause we both share it." He said, to at least sound like his normal insane self. He hated being in his right mind.  
  
"I didn't take drugs because I didn't need to..." Long's eyes were distant, his teeth scraping over flesh. "Blood was enough."  
  
Shen smirked. "Why Long, you never told me you were _kinky_" a leer was suggested in his voice.  
  
The martial artist bit down hard enough to draw blood, his eyes gleaming slightly before they darkened again with a look of shock.  
  
Shen burst out laughing at the look of shock. "You are!" he crowed. His nimble left hand reached up to smear at the blood. "I told you it was pretty."  
  
"No…" Long recoiled a bit, clamping his hands over his mouth, wiping at the drops of blood on it with an almost frantic guester, but despite that some still slipped past to caress his tongue.  
  
Shen shook his head and patted Long. "Face it pretty boy, some things don't change." He poked Long with his bloodied hand.  
  
"Nh." the Kempo artist squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force away feelings he hasn't felt in an eternity.  
  
Shen pouted. "Loooooooooooooooonnnnnnnngggggggg..." he whined as he took out another joint, seeking to make this reality one he could deal with. "Give it up."  
  
"Would you stop smoking? Your lungs are probably covered with tar by now..." Long murmured.  
  
"aww, you sound like my mother..." Shen groused.... "Well, I guess if I had one that is. Truth is, this is starting to get serious. I'm designed to kill and play, therefore; I change the seriousness to fun house, thus my joints. Want one?" he asked, offering Long the pack.  
  
"..." the martial artist reached out and plucked the joint from Shen's lips, taking a drag, then snuffing it out.  
  
"Hey!! I was smoking that!" Shen cried indignantly. "No faaaaaairrrrrrrr"  
  
Long faught a wave of dizziness as the smoke made his thoughts fuzzier, a little disoriented. "How...can you smoke this...?"  
  
Shen grinned. "Good isn't it? I smoke it because I enjoy the feeling. Makes every thing, oh, freer I guess, want a little alcohol to wash the smoke down?" he asked impishly, he was starting to feel better, the situation was wandering back onto his more comfortable territory  
  
"Dear god..." Long shook his head, rubbing his eyes. He swayed, blinking. "No... But some tea would be appreciated..."  
  
Shen reached over and dumped out the cold tea, and poured in some that was still warm in the pot. He snaked in a shot of vodka just for fun. "Here." he said as he handed it to the befuddled Long.  
  
"Thank you..." The martial artist sipped the tea, but didn't notice something odd until he was almost done. His body was starting to heat up; sweating lightly as his pure system took badly to the chemicals introduced into it  
  
Shen smirked and pushed Long gently off him and stood up, stretching out and wincing a bit as he heard all the joints of his body crack.  
  
"Shen..." Long groaned slightly, lying back down on the floor as the room spun. The mirrors warped in front of his eyes and the heat was starting to get unbearable.  
  
Shen looked down at him. "Feeling a little flushed are we? Well, I can fix that." he reached down and undid the other man's colour. "I should really just leave him here...it'll get through his system eventually...." he thought to himself  
  
As much as it was all the clone's fault he was like this in the first place, Long was grateful as his formal Chinese collar was undone and he could breath easier. His eyes were dazed, himself feeling very vulnerable in his disoriented state.  
  
Shen couldn't help but grin at the other man's predicament. He actually looked quiet adorable, all swirly eyed and such. "Welcome to my world Long. How do ya like it?" he asked happily  
  
"Make it stop..." the polexed man moaned miserably. He lifted a hand to wipe away some sweat, but it fell back at his side. The martial artist actually whimpered as his vision blurred and more distortion appeared.  
  
Shen giggled and settled down beside Long. "Just relax, stop being such a stick in the mud. You'll enjoy it." he said, looking down at the other man  
  
"How do you expect me to enjoy something when it feels like I'm seeing things through an aquarium?" accusation in voice, but then he whimpered again, curling up slightly.  
  
Shen reached down, and in an oddly soothing gesture, brushed back Longs hair from his face. "That's the point. Altered perception broadens the mind. Gives you a change from every thing." he said softly.  
  
"Makes me feel nauseous..." Long laid back, sprawled over the floor as he focused on breathing, trying to stop the horrendous spinning. "Ugh..."  
  
"You get used to it." Shen said evenly, laying his hand to rest on Long's brow.  
  
"You make it sound like I will be experiencing this again..." He anchored himself down at the sensation of the blessedly cool hand. He can still feel the vodka burning in his stomach, wanting to find it's way out.  
  
Shen grinned. "You stick around me any length of time and I can guarantee that m'dear. Don't worry, only the first time is bad.... Gets better."  
  
Long cracked open one brown eye to glare at him sullenly. "It's too hot..." he groans, head drooping back down.  
  
"Alright, alright, I'll turn on the air conditioning. Such a nag..." the jester clone groused good naturally as he stood up and flipped a switch. The subtle hum of old fans clicked on and a cool wind swirled around the room.  
  
Long shuddered at the breeze, sighing in joy as it brushed over heated flesh, cooling him down blessedly. "Thank you..." He shifted, rolling onto his stomach so his back could cool off too.  
  
Shen giggled, "You look just like a sunbathing kitten, or a puppy, depending on what kinda ears you want." He sat down again next to the sufferer. "Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo"  
  
"...what?" he murmured, basking in the coolness. Long's eyes closed again, dizzying sensation returning.  
  
Shen petted Long on the head gently again. "I remember when I first had Vodka..." he murmured to himself. "Wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing id ever done...but it was better then what was happening..." He sighed and shook his head.  
  
"Mm..." Long tilted his head to the petting, a limb twitching occasionally. "Why'd ya have to..."  
  
Shen looked down at him. "Why'd I have to what?" he asked, brought back to the present.  
  
"Spike the tea..." Long slured, frowning.  
  
Shen shrugged. " Wanted to see what would happen." he smirked. "Looks like you cant hold liquor very well."  
  
"I've been chaste of most things since I felt the weight of my guilt..." Long said, clutching onto Shen as the world was spinning once more...oh cruel world, just stop spinning!  
  
Shen couldn't help but laugh. "Long, your 30 fucking years old. Its about time you learned to drown your sorrows, loosen up, get the stick out of your ass and replace it with something nicer." Shen gathered him up again.  
  
"Why do I feel so much older...?" He mumbles, brows furrowing as he heard the sexually innuendo. "Oh...and you're going to assist me?"  
  
Shen purred. "Only if you waaaaaaaaaaannnnnaa"  
  
Long groaned, just lying back again. His brain was too fuzzy to deal with word games with Shenlong. "...You're suggesting I get laid."  
  
Shen nodded. "Well, why not? I mean, its entertaining." He sighed, keeping his hand on Long's forehead. "I can suggest a few names if you want...but some how I feel like your gonna decline."  
  
"Won't feel right soiling a woman with my stained hands..." he mumbled, glancing down at said hands.  
  
Shen shook his head. "Long, honestly, get over it. They're clean enough. I swear, some of those kids I know are even worse then you, but nice enough." A hint of buried concern creeped into the phsyco's voice, blurring it a little.  
  
The Kempo Master sighed. "I used to 'get laid' all the time..." giggles. "..But now it's like I'm a 30 year old virgin." swooning a bit, having trouble staying upright.  
  
Shen grinned and steadied Long. "Well, its nice to know that my predecessor wasn't completely a prude. And....waaaaaaaiiiiiit, did I just hear you giggle?" He said wonderingly  
  
Long blinked at him lazily. "I 'unno...maybe." hiccups.  
  
Shen shook his head. "Oooook, Sit." he muttered as he hauled the drunken Chinese up onto a crate that was against the wall that had others piled around it so that he wouldn't fall.  
  
"'right...." Long obediently sat, leaning heavily against whatever support was convenient, i.e. Shenlong. "...why're ya taken care of me..?"  
  
Shen shrugged and pushed Long back against the wall. "Cause its damn funny to see you drunk. That's why." he grinned.  
  
The Chinese man leaned against the wall, head back. He could still feel blood trickling from the partially healed cuts. It irritated him, but his motor skills had much to be desired.  
  
With a gentle hand, Shen took an old rag and gently cleaned of the staining blood. "That better?" he asked quietly  
  
"Mm hmm..." Long tilted his head head to look at Shen, eyes heavy lidded and dark, pupils dilated largely due to the marijuana.  
  
Shen shook his head. "'M glad you're a passive drunk..." he muttered to himself as he gazed back at Long. "Soooooo, it getting any better?" he asked, his jester grin appearing again  
  
"Is what getting better?" Long blinked, the mirrors confusing him.  
  
Shen laughed. "The dizziness you idiot. Well at least you don't look like hell anymore...," he said gently. Then the red eyed man pulled away and paced to the opposite corner of the room, apparently deep in thought. Sure, drunk and stoned was familiar territory...but...He sighed. This was out of his league and he refused to admit it. "I shoulda left long ago..." he told himself, trying to make it happen.  
  
"Perhaps..." Long's eyes fluttered closed, taking a deep breath as he tried to get his co-ordination. "But you're still here..." voice sounds odd.  
  
Shen whirled around, unaware that he had spoken that out loud. "Yes I'm still here." he bit out, wondering what the other man was getting at  
  
"...thanks."  
  
Shen blinked in surprise at the gratitude. "What for?"  
  
Long just smiled softly, then his eyes drifted shut. He wasn't asleep, but his eyes needed a break.  
  
Shen shook his head, quietly contemplating the man before him. He quietly launched into a small soliloquy.  
  
"I don't under stand you Long...how can you be so simple, and so complex at the same time.... It's confusing. One moment I face the stoic scholar, then a vulnerable boy who can't find his twisted way into the world. And I thought I was screwed up... but...still, I envy you, hear me, jealous, victim of the green skinned monster. Ah well...I just don't get it..." he sighed and looked away, towards the door that he wouldn't cross through, no, not yet.  
  
"I thought it was green eyed..." Long murmurs, eyes semi-open. It was odd that this man...who has beaten him nearly to death and made his life miserable would be the one sitting by him now when he was disoriented...and would be the one that held him in his arms and warmed his body.  
  
Shen started, he had thought Long had passed out. He shrugged to cover the nervousness. "I always get those lil clichies wrong." he said absently.  
  
"Mm...I'm cold." Long replied simply, different from his trademark eloquence and verbal grace.  
  
Shen shook his head. "I don't know why I put up with you..." he muttered he dug around and found an old faded jacket. He shook the dust out and walked over to Long, laying the black thing over him.  
  
The brow-eyed man curled up into the jacket, murmuring in appreciation. It was old, true, but it warmed him enough.  
  
Shen snickered. "You may as well sleep it off kid...though I don't pity the hangover you're gonna have when you wake up..." he said, finally steeling himself to leave. He didn't think it would be right to stay anymore. Kicked out of his own hall _again_  
  
"I don't believe I would wish to be by myself in this funhouse of yours." the scholar voiced, peering at him from beneath the jacket. "You may like these mirrors and distortions...but I find them appalling."  
  
Shen looked back over his shoulder at Long. "Asking me to stay?" he tried to keep it mocking, but the slightest bit of hope slipped into his voice and betrayed him. 


	3. Drunk

Long's expressionless gaze softened. "Take it however you wish. I just don't want to be alone."  
  
Shen nodded and turned back into the room. He settled down on a random crate near Long. He sighed, leaned back and closed his eyes, for once, not driven out.  
  
//Do you need me as much as I need you?// the thought ran through Long's head, watching the red-eyed clone. In a way, Shenlong was his son, in another way he was his brother; in yet more aspects...perhaps he was the only person left Long could trust. He could trust him to always be there...mocking, teasing, hurting, and tormenting...but still always there.  
  
Shen shook his head, almost feeling the silent contemplation, There was something about this that went beyond unnerving, and it went into the absolutely freaky. He just wasn't equipped to deal with actual emotional stuff that wasn't blood lust or fun. //I guess there's a first time for every thing... but it gets kinda lonely on my own.... Damn it! Am I actually glad he showed up...? Maybe I am...// In many ways, Shen was trying to cover up the fact that he felt like a damned child, well, technically he was, being a clone and all from an adult. But deep down inside, Long was good to have around...needed.  
  
"Symbiotes.... Do you know what those are, Shenlong?" Long's voice asked softly. His gaze remained a little dazed, but enough clarity was in them.  
  
Shen looked over at him, opening his eyes. "Two separate beings that live off of each other to each's mutual benefit, so?" he asked, wondering where this was going  
  
The Kempo Master just sunk deeper into the jacket. "Contemplate this." He sighed, avoiding at looking in the mirrors, but glancing at Shen*  
  
Shen stared at Long. "You're actually serious aren't you." This was not the most pleasant thought...but not the most unpleasant either  
  
Long reached out a hand, suddenly wanting to make sure that Shenlong wasn't just another one of his many reflections.  
  
Shen started slightly as he felt the soft hand on his arm. "oooook, you are definitely a freakaziod..."  
  
"Observe who is speaking."Long snapped quietly, prodding lightly until he was sure that the man was solid flesh.  
  
Shen smacked Long's hand lightly. "Quit poking me. And I maintain that you are weirder then I" he said amusedly  
  
"I would like to disagree with that oh charmer of pants." the martial artist said dryly, withdrawing his hand.  
  
"You're still sore about that aren't you. Peeved at the thought that I can do something better then thou?" the imitater smirked  
  
"I don't exactly go around trying to get people's pants off..." Long sniffed.  
  
"No, but I get people to listen to me, enthusiastically. I get what I want with out boring them to tears." he shot back, enjoying the conversation  
  
"In otherwords, you are a grade A spoiled brat?" says with his somewhat dry sense of humour.  
  
Shen bowed his head. "And proud of it. Its better then being a British aristo wanna be." he retorted  
  
"I see..." Long glanced at him sidelong. "Brat."  
  
Shen smirked back at him "Wanna be"  
  
"Brat" there was humour gleaming in the brown depths.  
  
Shen stuck his tongue out at the other man. "waaaaanaaaaa beeeee"  
  
"Like I said previously, B R A T."  
  
Shen grinned. "Well, what do you expect, I smoke, I drink, and I whine until I get what I want"  
  
"I have noticed you whine quite a bit, brat." He would prefer not to think of smoking and drinking  
  
"Its fuuuuuuun. You should try it sometime. " Shen said, leaning his elbows on his knees.  
  
"Me...whine? How...undignified. Makes you sound all the more childish," Long said haughtily.  
  
Shen drew back a bit. "But that's what I am Long. And screw dignity! Its over ratted anyway."  
  
"Perhaps to you, but not to Me." he clutched the jacket closer  
  
Shen tilted his head. "How come you keep your pride so coddled close to you Long?" he asked curiously  
  
"Sometimes...pride is all that's left. It is the Chinese way, we value pride over all else...including our lives." He looked up at the ceiling. "It's how I was raised, it's how I live."  
  
Shen shook his head. "Well, I cant claim to understand it, but hey... whatever floats your boat ne?" he said wearily.  
  
"You sound exhausted" commented Long as he looked back at him  
  
Shen shook his head. "Nah, I'm alright. It's almost sunrise. God I feel like such a vamp." he chuckled, deliberately widening his blood red eyes. " I Vant to suck your blooooood" he said in a bad Dracula accent  
  
"..." Long reached over and casually swatted him in the face. "Bad Dracula accent."  
  
Shen batted him away. "Of course. I don't have the fangs to make it real."  
  
"Allow Me." Long cleared his throat, then spoke in a thick Transylvanian accent, actually passable. "I believed vhis is how you wished to sound my vloody friend"  
  
Shen fell over laughing. "Ok ok, I admit defeat, you make a much better cheesy drac then I!"  
  
"Thank you." He tipped head in a bow. "European accents I can do..."  
  
" Surprisingly well." Shen agreed.  
  
"Mm Hm... " the kempo master smiled  
  
Shen stood up and looked at him. "Hey, I must be good for you. Your smiiiiiiiiiiiilllllllinnnnnnnggggg!" he sang triumphantly  
  
"Immature spoiled brat." his words were said softly though.  
  
Shen swirled around. "But of course! How else would I survive?" he grinned and sat down  
  
again with a huff on the floor.  
  
"Tell me, do you live off of sugar packets?  
  
Shen glared up at him. "Shame on you for even suggesting that. I live off my smokes."  
  
Long sighed and shook his head. "Addict you are..." he tapped him on the head.  
  
Shen grinned. "But of course." the lanky man leaned back against the crate that Long was sitting on with a sigh, the world blurring a bit familiarly.  
  
"I still don't see how you can like them...but alright." he gazed down at the black head, petting  
  
Shen sighed, leaning into it. "What would you rather have Long...misery or false happiness?" he asked quietly.  
  
There was a pause as Long contemplated this. "I won't take false joy...it's real, or none at all."  
  
Shen laughed bitterly at that. "I guess that's another difference between you and me kid."  
  
"Kid...? I'm older than you, you know"  
  
Shen groaned. "Id like to forget that particular fact..."  
  
The Kempo Master sniffed. "You're what...2, 3 technically speaking?"  
  
Shen glared at Long. "Oh shut up you." he muttered, crossing his arms.  
  
"Have I struck a nerve?" he inquired, prodding.  
  
"...maybe...." the clone groused, looking away from the original.  
  
"What's the matter, Shenlong? Can't look at me?"  
  
"Shut up! Your starting to sound like meeee!" he whined, but didn't look up.  
  
"Tell me?" Long turned onto his side to look at the clone.  
  
"Tell you what." Shen said sullenly. Again, Long had surprised him, was there no end to the  
  
guy?  
  
"Why you can't look at me." He said evenly. The Kempo Master examined how his face looked.  
  
"Oh I can look at you, I just dun wanna." Shen covered. "Ok, maybe I like you better when you're whining..." he sighed. He kept thinking to himself that this was just a very odd dream and that he'd wake up after a particualy heavy binge.  
  
"Really now?" Long found it odd, noticing how the other man wasn't as cocky as he was previously.  
  
"Yes Really now." Shen imitated Longs voice mockingly.  
  
The martial artist sighed, settling back into the jacket. So it was back to swifts and spurs  
  
Shen sighed and lost some of his bristle. He wished he had run while he had the chance, but now he wanted to stay, no matter how unnerving, he just wanted one night of companionship that didn't involve wild escapades, that was getting boring.  
  
"What have you been doing all of these years?" Long wonderd out loud, not really expecting a straight, or even an answer period. It was more of his muddled mind speaking up  
  
Shen shrugged, taking the question at face value. "What do you expect. Parting, b&e, getting drunk, stoned, in to fights, that sorta thing."  
  
"B and E?" Long inquired, shifting a little to be more comfortable.  
  
"Breaking and Entering, sure, I never take anything, but just going in under peoples noses is the challenge, and not getting caught." He grinned.  
  
"But of course you would be the brigand, wouldn't you?" was said in a sigh. He smiled slightly, sort of expecting that the answers would be like that,  
  
Shen flipped his head back to look at Long. "But of course, if I acted any different I would be you."  
  
"You really strive for individuality...don't you? You feel as if you are living in my shadow?"  
  
Shen paused, he'd never really thought about that before. "Of course not!" he said with a scowl.  
  
"I remember you screaming that there could only be one of us...You could have killed me then, yet you didn't."  
  
"I didn't feel like it." Shen said, turning away. Surreal again.  
  
"I thought you killed yourself..." Long said softly, realising that back then, it really did pain him*  
  
Shen shook his head. "Naw, lost my memory for a while, but other then that, I don't think the plague could kill me. Let alone you or me." he said.  
  
"Hmm...Most peculiar." the kempo master murmured. "You cut your hair as another marking yourself?"  
  
Shen shook his head. "No, I didn't have time to take care of really long hair, that's all. I live fast you know."  
  
"I'd imagine so..." he coughd slightly. "It can get rather irksome...but it will not be cut for me."  
  
Shen twisted to face him. "Irksome...?" he said with raised eyebrow, "How about down right annoying."  
  
"It's not that bad..." Long said defencivly  
  
"It is soooo Long." Shen complained.  
  
"Was that just a horrible attempt at a pun, Shenlong?"  
  
"Hey, don't be insulting. Even I don't make horrible puns like that, I do have a little self respect after all." Shen said, turning his nose up.  
  
There was a pause, then a soft, rumbling chuckle. One would imagine he would have a  
  
wonderful laugh once the rust was worked out of it. "Amusing little brat.."  
  
Shen grinned. "Glad to be of entertainment. You should really do that more often." he mused.  
  
Long's lips twitched at the corners, as if wanting to smile. "Well, that's kind of you to say..." he was flattered by the words  
  
"What...you sound nice when you laugh, not evil like everyone else..." Shen said quietly, gazing off at a mirror that was across from the two.  
  
"Ah yes, the world is full of villains with cheesy laughter..." then he winced. "Ugh, I don't even want to remember Hajime.  
  
Shen shuddered violently. "I would thank you not to mention that name..."  
  
Long huddled in on himself, feeling almost physical pain as he unwillingly remembered one of his fights with the scientist, ending the disturbed experimentor running away saying 'Hubba hubba, nothing like the real thing baby.'  
  
Shen swore. "Damn lizard, what a nut, and people think I'm crazy...."  
  
"I would have to agree with you there..." he grimaced "at least you don't hump the air."  
  
Shen sighed and closed his eyes. "Could we not talk about that.... please...Long?" He said softly.  
  
"Of course." he frowned.  
  
"Thanks," was all Shen answered to that.  
  
Long glanced back into the mirror, observing.  
  
Shen curled up, leaning on the crate sideways, he blinked h is eyes opened and looked at the mirror. He couldn't help but smile at the odd picture the pair made, like two porcine dolls, one flawed, and the other only thinking he was flawed.  
  
"...is they're anymore tea?" he asks softly, tilting his head  
  
Shen nodded and got up, pouring Long another cup, he resisted the urge to spike it again. The red eyed man walked back and handed Long the cup. "Don't worry, it's clean."  
  
"Good...I'm afraid my head ache is going to be bad enough"  
  
Shen laughed. "Hangovers are only due to dehydration. Drink enough and it wont be so bad. Believe me, I know this from experience." he grinned as he sat down on an opposite crate.  
  
The kempo master sipped his tea, then sighed. "Ah... that's good."  
  
Shen swirled around a bit, just cause he felt like it. Or maybe just to get his druggy sensation back, he couldn't tell the two apart, though the former would last longer  
  
Long blinked at his odd behaviour. "... your strange... "  
  
Shen grinned. "Of course. Strange, Weird, Unstable, take your pick."  
  
The Kempo Master sighed. "Perhaps all..." smiles slightly. "Wouldn't imagine you any other way." 


	4. Wheeeee

"There, was that so hard to say. " Shen asked, settling down again  
  
"To say what?" Long blinked.  
  
Shen shook his head. "Nothing. So, how ya feeling?" he asked, to fill the silence that he was sure to grow.  
  
"A little bit more stable...I no longer feel the rotation of the earth on its axis.  
  
Shen chuckled. "Well, I suppose that's good."  
  
"Yes...indeed it is."  
  
Shen took up another joint, but instead of lighting it, he just stared at it, laying all innocent in his hand, just waiting for something.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" Long whisperd, looking not at him, but at the mirror.  
  
Shen sighed. "Honestly...? I don't know. It's like the damn thing's mocking me.." he muttered unhappily to himself. Damn! He hated getting introspective, but when he was around Long for a long period of time, it just happened.  
  
"Then maybe you should just put it away..." he murmured, still gazing at their reflections. It was strange to see this side of Shen.  
  
Shen shook his head. "And what would that get me? It will still be around to dance around my subconscious later Long. It's an escape and a prison kid.... An escape and prison." he sighed.  
  
"A double edged sword..." the Kempo Master paused, waxing philosophic. "I don't know what to say..." he sips more tea  
  
Shen laughed at him. "Ah, so says the soul of the romantic."  
  
"The soul of a romantic or the soul of someone who's just read too much?"  
  
Shen looked back at his living reflection. "Well, since its you we're talking about, I would guess the latter." he snickered  
  
"Thank you..." Long drawled as well as he could drawl. He rolled his eyes, but was humoured.  
  
Shen paced around a bit, his over tiredness giving way to restlessness. "Well, glad to be of amusement oh mighty one." he said with a jester grin.  
  
"You should have been a clown." The jacket curled man deadpanned  
  
Shen laughed. "Would you believe I tried that? Of course, I couldn't keep that job for very long."  
  
"Let me guess, you frightened the children?" an elegant brow arched inquisitively.  
  
Shen shook his head. "Naw, those little brats loved me, It was my boss that I scared." he said with an evil chuckle. "What a wuss."  
  
"I never would have imagined you good with kids. I'm surprised"  
  
"Hey, they're quite easy to get along with Long. Haven't you ever noticed that?" Shen shot back.  
  
"I'm not...I'm not so sure about that. Children aren't my speciality." he gestured with his hand as he spoke.  
  
"Well I'm not surprised, you probably depress them. " the restless pacer said to the sitting man.  
  
"Perhaps...they couldn't comprehend half of what I say anyway"  
  
"Well, there is that. Most adults can't comprehend half of what you say."  
  
"Sadly enough, this is true. The intellect of adolescents and adults these days is just amazingly...low"  
  
Shen shook his head. "You can say that again...."  
  
"Yes...." Long frowned, rubbing his eyes again.  
  
Shen stopped and looked at him. "Tired?" he asked softly  
  
"Perhaps, or maybe some lingering effects..."  
  
Shen shook his head and laughed. "Both are solved by sleeping it off you know."  
  
"This is true..." Long yawned. "Is it safe to sleep here?"  
  
"Why are you asking me? The fair doesn't open for a few days." He said."No one here but us rats." Shen a added mischieviously.  
  
"Rats?" Long went wide eyed and looked around, "...rats?!"  
  
Shen shrugged. "Yeah, big suckers too."  
  
"How unsanitary...then again, this is a fair..."  
  
"What? They keep the cockroaches down. Besides, they're kinda cuuuuute!" Shen squealed.  
  
Now it was Long's turn to psudo sweatdrop and looked at the other man oddly. "...Did you just...squeal?"  
  
"Uhh...." Shen muttered, looking away.  
  
"Well..." Long smiled a little, muscles starting to hurt from all the smiles he did.  
  
"Well what?!" Shen demanded, stalking moodily over.  
  
The man bit down on another chuckle, lips twitching  
  
"You're...your laughing at me...." Shen sniffled  
  
"Not at, with." he soothed, voice shaking a little with his suppressed laughter.  
  
Shen glared at him suspiciously like a child being told that going to the dentist wasn't so bad. "Well...alright..."  
  
"A serious expression doesn't suit you, Shenlong. It's my face."  
  
Shen grinned. "True. Wouldn't want that. It destroys my devilishly handsome good looks."  
  
"Egocentric" Long snorted.  
  
"No, just stating a fact. Girls swoon over me." He said with a certain amount of pride.  
  
"Is that so?" arches a brow incredulously. He acknowledged his face wasn't homely. But as to being swoon worthy by a simple difference in expression...?  
  
Shen nodded. "Girls like a certain amount of smiles. The more the better, even small ones are good. It make's feel special. Sure, some will go for the moody dork type, but they eventually give up when they get dragged down as well."  
  
"...thank you so much for calling me a moody dork."  
  
"Well you are Long. Think about it." Shen shot at him  
  
Long sighs, shaking his head. "Moody...perhaps. But could you call me a scholar instead of a dork?"  
  
: Shen stuck his tounge out at Long. "dooooooorrrrrrrrk" he sang out  
  
"Pompous bastard."  
  
Shen bowed. "So glad you see that." He said, coming up with a wide grin  
  
"And lets see...what else are you...an asshole. Yes, that would be the appropriate word"  
  
"You aren't the first to say that. I'm proud of who I am Long, are you?"  
  
"...no. I'm not proud of who I am. I admit to that."  
  
Shen nodded. "Poor you."  
  
"Perhaps, perhaps not." the man tilted his head*  
  
Shen looked at him. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I don't know...allow my thoughts to clarify in the morning and perhaps I shall tell you."  
  
Shen laughed and nodded, turning to the side. He sighed and crossed his arms, an odd  
  
expression appearing to flicking in the lights. He looked for lack of better words, lost.  
  
Long sips the rest of his no cold tea, drinking slowly  
  
Shen shook himself out of the mood. "Go to sleep Long. You're starting to make too much sense."  
  
"I'd think that would be a good thing...unless...of course I'm starting to sound like you*  
  
"No, I don't make that much sense. But it's not a good thing either." Shen growled.  
  
"Why do you say that, pray tell."  
  
"Hmfh." Was the only sound the morose rebel made.  
  
"Hm." the Kempo Master set down his cup. "Speak." With the command, he added a prod to Shen's shoulder.  
  
Shen smacked Long's hand. "Stop that."  
  
"Speak!" Long kept on prodding him.  
  
"hey!!!!!" Shen swatted Long away. " leav'me alooooooneeee" he whined  
  
"A dose of your own medicine I believe they call it"  
  
Red eyes glared self righteously at the other man. "I don't incessantly poke people."  
  
"But you bug them until the acquiesce." Still, the prodding kept on.  
  
Shen stepped away from him. "I do not...."  
  
"You do." A smile appeared in the deep earth coloured eyes.  
  
Shen snorted. "Not..."  
  
"You do," Long said insistently  
  
Shen just glowered at Long. "I. Do. Not. I will eventually leave them alone when they start to bore me."  
  
"You leave them alone once they give in, Shenlong!" Long kept on bugging him  
  
Shen sighed. "Fine. You win. I don't care..."  
  
Long cocked his head. "Wet towel.  
  
"I believe the expression is 'wet blanket'" Shen said, not looking at him.  
  
"And you said you didn't know sayings"  
  
"Well, apparently that is genetic"  
  
"Oh quite blaming things on genetics." Long mutterd.  
  
Shen shrugged. "And what else can I blame it on, hmmm?" he bristled  
  
"Yourself perhaps? You have traits I do not and you lack some that I do"  
  
"Well, I guess that settles the nature Vs nurture argument..." he sighed.  
  
The Kempo Master sat back down. "Forgive my intrusion."  
  
"Whatever..." Shen said, closing his eyes, voice evening out to sound more like Longs.  
  
Long sighed, the voice disturbing him slightly  
  
Shen grinned, and kept the voice up. "So, where are you going to go from here?"  
  
"Stop talking like me"  
  
"whhhhyyyyyy?"  
  
"Because it's discerning to hear your own voice." changes his own a little, making it rougher to sound like Shen*  
  
Shen blinked. "eep..."  
  
"See?"  
  
Shen stamped slightly. "I don't care, it gets a rise out of you, so I'll keep doing it."  
  
"Is that all you want to do? Get reactions out of me?"  
  
Shen shrugged. "I can't deny that it's fun."  
  
Long sighed. "Well..." sips more cold tea  
  
"Well what? You keep saying that and then not continuing your sentences... its annoying!"  
  
The adressed man just looked at him. Laughter in eyes. "Well."  
  
"Gah!!!!" Shen cried angrily. "It's not funny...."  
  
"Yes it is"  
  
"Its noooooooot!!!"  
  
"Is to times infinity cubed to the infinite power."  
  
Shen blinked at him. " Now that's just playing dirty.... Infinity cubed to the infinite power...plus one."  
  
"Infinity cubed to the infinite power plus 5 radical 3  
  
"Ok, fine, I admit your smarter then I, so quit rubbing it in." Shen sat down with a sigh, and rubbed a temple.  
  
Long actually managed to look smug, then yawn again  
  
"Go to sleep Long." Shen groused.  
  
"You first, I insist"  
  
"what, your afraid I'm gonna get up and do something nasty to you while you're asleep?" Shen asked with a grin  
  
"...." Long hugged himself. "Pervert."  
  
Shen snickered. "I ment like catching a rat and putting it down your shirt"  
  
Long sniffed, still hugging himself  
  
Shen just laughed at him. "Oh come on, I swear, you can be more childish than I."  
  
"That seems quite impossible, Shenlong...listen to yourself."  
  
"Why, its more fun to listen to you"  
  
"That's.... Oh never mind" Long said exasporatedly as he threw up his hands in surrender.  
  
Shen grinned. "Well, I'm glad you agree." he said, leaning his arms on the crate and laying his head down. "Wonder if the suns up yet..." he murmured quietly.  
  
"That is a good question..."  
  
Shen shrugged. "I don't have a watch, so I don't know."  
  
Long gestures to his heavily cuffed wrists*  
  
"Well if you're so smart, what time is it?"  
  
Long paused to think, glancing around. He tilted his head, carefully listening until he could hear outside. "I'd say...it's around dawn"  
  
"ah..mf..." Came the sleepy sound from the red eyed clone, his head leaning on his arms and his eyes closed. He seemed younger and less wild when he was asleep.  
  
The man gazed at his clone thoughtfully, watching the red eyes close. It was odd...Shenlong didn't have the same lines of sorrow and despair that made Long seem so much older.  
  
Shen rolled over and curled up like a cat, on hand absently over the scar on his chin.  
  
The kempo master reached out a hand, hovering it over his face, then pulled it back, deciding against it  
  
Shen sighed softly and yawned.  
  
"Night"  
  
A soft sigh was Long's only answer.  
  
Long closed his eyes, leaning back and pulling the jacket up again  
  
Shen whimpered softly and curled up tighter against the air contioner breeze, which he had forgotten to turn off.  
  
The martial artist was in a ball himself, missing the warmth of the other's arms.  
  
Shen finally woke up after a few minutes, and turned off the air conditioner, all the time he hummed 'I'm a little tea pot'  
  
"I'm a little psychopath, tall and skinny,  
  
Here are my claws, now give me your money..."  
  
He sang, picking up the joint again and lighting it up.  
  
The Chinese man frowned, eyes fluttering open at the strange singing. He could smell the scent of marijuana again and it wasn't as cold as it was previously.  
  
Shen wasn't aware that Long was still awake, from under a crate he drew out a pistol and pointed it at the other man. "I coulldddddd...I shouldd.... Maybe, maybe not."  
  
The martial artist kept his eyes partially closed, schooling his breathing down. This is what he came here for...this is what he wanted, wasn't it? He wanted his death by the red-eyed man's hands...  
  
Shen giggled, one hand forcing the gun hand down. "You shouldn't give him what he wants you know.... It just ends the game too soon." he said, talking to himself.  
  
Long's carefully schooled face remained impassive but his mind seethed with conflict. He wanted it...yet ever since earlier that night when he felt the comfort of another being's touch, the firm resolve of death wavered.  
  
Shen pouted and tilted his head. "Well, for once the choice is miiiine. Bwhahaaaa! Too bad he isn't awake, would liked to see his face after that..." Shenlong snorted to himself, shaking his head. "One shot and BAMN! Everything's done! But what's the fun in that?" He asked the air around him.  
  
The Kempo Master continued his masquerade, straining to hear what was being said. Years of training and meditation made it easy for him to keep his breaths and heartbeat steady.  
  
Shen absently flipped the gun back into the crate and picked a whiskey bottle this time, and drained it dry, swaying a little, he looked over at Long. "Wonder if I'm really the one that's crazy.... Of course I am!" He snorted, continuing the conversation with himself.  
  
The Chinese man carefully in the guise of sleep turned so he could hear better, settling himself back down with a sigh. He was confused...the clone was unpredictable and he didn't know what would happen.  
  
Shen laughed. "You just have a weakness for pretty things.... Ok ok.... I freely admit that." His giggle turned into a snort as he took another drag of the joint. "But it'd be nice to have him gone...but I like him here...." The last phrase was said with a bit of a whine. "It's sure better then talking to you. HEY! Surely I'm not thaaaaat bad of conversation!"  
  
Inside the martial artist blinked. Shenlong was schizophrenic? It sure seemed like it...  
  
The clone's slightly frenzied laughter died down into a suppressed sob. "Aa, but try and get him to say something nice and it comes out a proverb... Damn it Long! You're so god damn arrogant.... Course, I am too, but that's beside the point...." He said quietly, sitting down with another brandy bottle. Shen chuckled quietly. "Talk about going for your older guys...Hey! That doesn't count...I'm sorta as old as he is...right?"  
  
Long pondered this inside. His clone wanted him to say something nice? He could smell the alcohol wafting in the air around them, making him feel a little light-headed again.  
  
Shen shook his head, and got up again, letting the empty bottle drop and shatter into thousands of tiny sharp pieces. "Not like I care. Yes you do! No I don't damn it! So just leave me alone. aww, you don't want that, do you?" Back and forth his conversation went. Finally the aggitated Shen settled down, and reached behind a crate and took out a dark, opaque bottle. "Aha.... There you are..." he breathed with a smile.  
  
Long was now truly starting to be concerned. It didn't seem right...something was off about the entire thing, He heard of people arguing with themselves, but this seemed beyond that*  
  
Shen uncorked the bottle and found a small pointed stick on the floor, dipping it in the bottle, he pulled it out, stained with dark black ink. He then started to scrawl on the crate in front of him. "Oh well, its not sooo bad being stuck with you I guess. Just wish you had a higher maturity level. Hey! I am sooooo mature, its not like you are either smart-ass!" he snickered to himself as he drew.  
  
Long was careful as he watched, the conversation confusing him but he rode it through. He looked at what was being drawn, asking again what was going on mentally.  
  
Shen was actually a decent artist, a scene in black slowly taking shape of figures dancing around a funeral pyre. "Ah, I don't know what the hell to do anymore...World holds nothing ne? Oh I wouldn't say that...So you do like him! Sh-Shut up! I do not!!!" he berated himself  
  
The Kempo Master's vision swum in confusion. The figures seemed to writhe as he watched, the conversation only increasing the uncertainty of the entire thing  
  
"Yes you do...." Shen whispered quietly. Then his whole demeanour changed, with a snarl of fury, he sideswiped the inkbottle to the floor, listening to it crash, and watching the dark liquid spread out. "I told you to shut up already!!!" He cried in frustration.  
  
Long shifts, the violence startling him but he masked it with uneasy sleep.  
  
Shen stood and faced Long. "See, you almost woke him up" he snickered quietly "what the hell do I care.... You cant do it, can you, your fondest wish and you can't carry it through." he said mockingly. "I can so! And I'll prove it to you!" he took out the pocketknife again and advanced.  
  
The Kempo Master's brow furrowed, as if having a nightmare. Truth be told, this ranting was making him nervous...he knew the man was insane, but to this degree?  
  
Shen stopped in front of the man he thought was asleep and put the knief to his throat. He pressed, but not hard enough to draw blood, paused there for a moment, then backed away, dropping the knife. "I told you so..." he whisperd quietly.  
  
Long could feel his heart stop for a moment, then it resumed as the knife clattered to the floor. It was unnerving, but he felt a little sorry for his clone  
  
Shen dropped to a twisted sitting position on the floor with a sigh, his head down and resting on a hand.  
  
The Kempo Master slowly opens his eyes, gazing at Shen  
  
Shen didnt notice that Long was really awake, as he didnt look up, he took his breath's shallowly but evenly, shoulders shaking slightly. This was not supposed to be happening, not now, he kept telling himself  
  
Long continued watching, feeling pity for him but not knowing if he should say anything.  
  
Shen sighed, shaking his head and pulling himself together. He then looked up, straight into Long's open eyes. His own widend when he realized that the other man was awake.  
  
"Shen...." voice drifted up, still not quite sure. He could see the shock and confusion almsot painfully*  
  
Shen recoiled back slightly at the sound of his name, but coverd with a jester grin. "What, did a rat wake ya or something?"  
  
"No..." he glanced searchingly into bloody red eyes*  
  
Shen looked down, unwilling to meet Long's gaze, but before he could, the crimson eyes showed lost and lonelyness, of a child locked away in a dark closet, never alowed to grow up or come out.  
  
Not knowing what he was doing, just knowing it was himself that needed help, Long moved forward. He wrapped his arms around his counterpart.  
  
Shen stiffened in startlement, but didn't pull away. In fact, he leaned forward into the embrace and leaned his head on Long's shoulder, wrapping his own arms around his original's waist.  
  
The Kempo Master felt his heart thud as the other's arms went around his waist. He held him closer, closing his eyes and trying to will away all of those mirrors.  
  
Shen sighed, closed his eyes and relaxed to bonelessness. He wasnt sure exactly why he was allowing this to happen, but it wasnt as if he could stop.  
  
The Chinese man debated wether or not to ask about the schizophrenia, just holding the clone and being held, finding comfort in this contact.  
  
It felt nice to Shen, someone acutaly being nice to him, even though he couldnt tell weather Long wanted anything for it or not. But it was better then any alcohol binge or drug fest that he had ever been on. He was actualy starting to forget.  
  
Dark brown eyes were closed as he breathed deeply in. He could smell alcohol, ink, smoke...so many things clinging to the other man.  
  
Shen could feel the others heart beat against him, feeling it so mirror his own. He breathed in, and his sharp nose dectected that sent that was purely 'Long', tea, sorrow and crayon.  
  
Long sighed, sinking down to the floor and sitting. He leaned against the crate, nuzzling slightly.  
  
Shen purred quietly in the back of his throat. Some cat traits just show true.  
  
Long could feel the vibrations, and found them soothing  
  
Shen was sure that he was supposed to say something sometime, but he didn't want to break this  
  
Long sighed, stroking the other's head softly  
  
Shen subconsiously kept the purring up, his face perfectly composed in a serene facade, but inside, his thoughts were whirling around incohearently.  
  
Long smiled slightly at the purring, feeling an answer purr rumble.  
  
A small smile manifested on Shen's face, driving him to a semi-consious relaxed state. Like this, he probaly would have not cared of the sky was fallign and they were all gonna die.  
  
Long's muscles relaxed and he found himself quite comfortable just sitting there, the other's warmth seeping into his flesh and soothing it.  
  
Shen distantly mused that he didnt know what the hell was going on, but what ever it was, he didnt want it to end, but to continue on forever, but he knew that it couldnt last. Finaly, he pulled himself together. "Long...?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Yes?" Keeping his eyes closed just in case.  
  
Shen sighed, "How come you stayed?" he said simply  
  
There was no where else to go...."  
  
"ah." was the only reply Shen gave.  
  
"There is no need for me in this world."  
  
Shen still stayed silent, but tightend his grip on Long.  
  
Long thought it felt safe in the strong grip, as if the grasping claws of life could be held at bay by them, at least momentarily.  
  
"How long were you awake Long?" Shen asked.  
  
"Long enough." was the cryptic remark  
  
"whats that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Well...."  
  
".....dont you dare start that again." Shen mutterd.  
  
"It's confusing"  
  
"what is?"  
  
"Everything" Long sighed. "Nothing makes sense anymore"  
  
Shen had to laugh at that. "I guess all those books you've read aren't any help to you now."  
  
"Perhaps not...I've not really read any similiar to this situation."  
  
"oh? I thought you knew everything." Shen shot at him.  
  
"Then it's your fault for assuming. I've never claimed to know anything...not even close"  
  
"well, no, but you've always acted like it."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Long arched a brow, looking down at the other's head.  
  
"you always had an answer to everything, always so damn confident that you knew how to make things work in your favor."  
  
"Confidence and pride are bred into me...they keep me up"  
  
"It shows."  
  
"I'd fall otherwise..." he sighed.  
  
Shen snickerd. "Aww, fallings not so bad. feel's a bit like flying."  
  
"...and no one will be there to catch me on the last stop."  
  
Shen shrugged. "We're cats Long. We always land on our feet."  
  
"Drop a cat from more than 10 stories and his bones will crush"  
  
"Well, that too."  
  
Long sighed. "You see?"  
  
"I see you still have to be a know it all."  
  
: "And you still have to say things when people don't want to hear."  
  
"but of course. Isn't it annoying. Some people complain i sould like the devil on their shoulder..." he said tierdly.  
  
"But you do...you do Shen."  
  
"Hey, i dont tell them to do things." He said, pulling away enough to look up.  
  
"Close enough to the devil... in my opinion of crouse"  
  
Shen laughed. "What does that make you, the angel?"  
  
"Not even close...*  
  
"awwwww! but you look so cute in white." Shen pouted.  
  
"mr..." -_-;  
  
Shen snickerd. "AW hell, i can picture it too"  
  
"You are...most peculiar...indeed"  
  
"I blame that one mitigating circumstances yer honer!" he crowed.  
  
"Are you talking to yourself?"  
  
"ummmmmmmmmmmmmm...."  
  
Long arched a brow. "strange..."  
  
"freak."  
  
"Brat"  
  
"wanna be"  
  
"Immature fetus"  
  
"Dork." With that, Shen pushed himself up and almost savegely, yet tenderly, pressed his lips to Longs.  
  
Long's eyes snapped wide open. His first kiss in God knows how long...and it was from his clone! Yet instead of pushing back, he melted into it.  
  
Shen twisted round so he was wrapped almost possesively around Long, still keeping it up.  
  
The Kempo Master moaned softly, eyes closing and beeing dragged helplessly into the kiss. 


	5. Had enough?

First Ending  
  
THUD!  
  
Long's eyes snapped open as he was jostled by a bump on the road. He blinked, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. "What...?" oh yes, noe hw remember. He was on a bus to the fair grounds...  
  
The cheeirly lit bus slowed to a stop just out side them, the doors opening, giving him teh choice of going out. After a second, the martial artist stood up, thanking the driver and stepping out  
  
Shen stood deep in teh shadows of teh faded carasell, watching Long step out. He smirked and snuffed otu his marajuana joint. "Welcome to my parlor Long. You'll find me the grasious host." With that...he walked off.  
  
  
  
``````````````````````````  
  
Don't like this ending? Skip to the second one then.  
  
  
  
`````````````````````````````````  
  
  
  
  
  
Second Ending:  
  
Shen pulled back from the kiss after a minute, an unreadable look on his face appeared as he gazed down at Long.  
  
Longs eyes slowly opened, as disoriented as when he was stoned, but much more confused. "What...was that?"  
  
"That..." Said Shen, looking oddly shy, "was a reason to stay..."  
  
The martial artist blushed slightly, licking his lips as his mouth suddenlt went dry. "...Shen...?"  
  
"If you go Long... I'd miss you..." He said softly.  
  
Long swallowed thickly as he felt a tightness inhis chest, like, yet unlike the previous contriction. "Honest?"  
  
Shen nodded. "Scouts honer"  
  
"...you're not a scout"  
  
"So?" Shen asked, gazing straight at Long.  
  
"Don't promise on something that has no meaning."  
  
"Long, its an expression. I do mean what i said."  
  
The Kempo Master sighed, resting against his clone. "I would be a fool to trust..."  
  
"to trust me? Most would find it so, but you cant lye to a mirror Long." Shen said quietly, holding him close.  
  
"A mirror that shows everything..." runs his finger over one of the scars on Shenlong's face.  
  
"Weather you want to see it or not." He said softly, closing his eyes.  
  
"Hai...." he breahed  
  
"Do you belive me?" He asked hesitently  
  
"Call me a fool." the martial artist whispered.  
  
Shen smiled and pulled him close again. "dont worry, it wont come to that."  
  
"I'll castrate you if it does..." he murmured, settling into the embrace.  
  
Shen laughed. "You'd have to catch me first."  
  
Long niped at his chin  
  
Shen grinned. "so Kinky boy whatcha wanna do?"  
  
The Kempo Master blushed slightly, hiding his face*  
  
Shen brushed Long's hair back gently. "Awwwwww, cuuuute"  
  
"I'm not kinky..."  
  
"Oh ill bet you are." he sang.  
  
"No I'm not." he said embarassed  
  
"Are sooo"  
  
"Nnnoooo..."  
  
Shen giggled. " ya are"  
  
Long surged up and presses his lips against Shen's, effectively muffling what else he had to say* Am not  
  
Shen just smiled, and aloud a glint to enter into his eye. This, was going to be fun. 


End file.
